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Android 12 Upgrade Report Card: What a weird year

Credit to Author: JR Raphael| Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2022 03:00:00 -0700

In the world of software, six months is an eternity.

Heck, look at how much has happened over the past six months since Android 12 came into the universe. Google started and then finished a hefty 0.1-style update that lays the groundwork for significant large-screen improvements to the Android experience. And it’s now well into the public development phase of its next big Android version, Android 13 — which is the rapidly forming release on most folks’ minds at this point.

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ComputerWorldIndependent

The Russian cyberattack threat might force a new IT stance

Credit to Author: Evan Schuman| Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2022 09:20:00 -0700

There’s a lot of fear of possible Russian cyberattacks stemming from Russia’s attempted takeover of Ukraine. Perhaps the biggest worry —and quite possibly the most likely to materialize — is that these cyberattacks will likely be finely tuned as retaliation for US financial moves against the Russian economy. 

The cyberattacks would be designed not to steal money or data per se, but to harm the US economy by strategically hitting major players in key verticals. In other words, the Russian government might say, “You hurt our economy and our people? We’ll do the same to you.”

Thus far, there’s no evidence of any large-scale attack, but one could be launched at any time. 

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ComputerWorldIndependent

When should the data breach clock start?

Credit to Author: Evan Schuman| Date: Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:39:00 -0700

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ComputerWorldIndependent

How to stop worrying and love zero trust

Credit to Author: Mike Elgan| Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2022 03:00:00 -0700

Countless articles have been published in the past few years about zero trust, most of them explorations and expositions for security professionals.

But I want to write for remote workers on the other side of the so-called “trust” equation — the people who will deal with the changes and inconveniences as zero-trust strategies are implemented and refined over the next few years.

Welcome to this jargon-free explanation of zero trust.

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ComputerWorldIndependent

How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affected the cyber threat landscape


Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month and consequential sanctions against the Kremlin, the threat of cyberattacks in the U.S. and abroad has been looming. While the threat of attacks on critical infrastructure has increased, it hasn’t escalated to the all-out cyberwar that some were expecting. CSO Online senior writer Lucian Constantin joins Juliet to discuss how the cyber threat landscape has evolved as a result of the war in Ukraine and what organizations can do to increase their cyber incident defenses. For more on this topic, check out this article from CSO Online: Conti gang says it's ready to hit critical infrastructure in support of Russian government: https://www.csoonline.com/article/3651498/conti-gang-says-its-ready-to-hit-critical-infrastructure-in-support-of-russian-government.html

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ComputerWorldIndependent

On browsers and bugs

Credit to Author: Susan Bradley| Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:27:00 -0700

We’re told that one of the best ways to stay secure is to make sure our computers are patched. But we need to always be aware that at any given time, there are several vulnerabilities probably known and in use by attackers. The good news is that the number of days between when a bug is identified and when it’s patched is slowly going down, according to the Google Project Zero. It tracks how long it’s taking vendors to patch bugs and found that “in 2021, vendors took an average of 52 days to fix security vulnerabilities reported from Project Zero. This is a significant acceleration from an average of about 80 days [three] years ago.”

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ComputerWorldIndependent

How to boost cybersecurity defenses using your router

Credit to Author: Paul Gillin| Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2022 12:01:00 -0800

COVID-19 has made us all more aware of the need to protect our computers at home from online evil. But when was the last time you pointed your browser at your router? The little box that connects your PC and all the other devices in your home to the internet has an array security features that many people are unaware of.

After speaking to Derek Manky, chief of security insights and global threat alliances at Fortinet’s FortiGuard Labs, I logged into my Verizon FIOS router for the first time in years and discovered there were no less than 18 devices connected to it, including TVs, printers, thermostats and a half dozen Amazon Echoes. Each is a potential security vulnerability. “If you look at your home router, you’ll be surprised what you find there,” Manky said.

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